dust
by colorful swirls
Summary: It's world crumbling to dusts from the outside in. / If Harry had died.


**disclaimer:** Harry Potter does not belong to me.

**a/n:** I have a lot of things I should be writing, but this idea came and I wasn't able to get it out of my mind. I hope you all enjoy. :)

**dedicated to:** The one and only M&M, aka Milly, aka Aqua Cahill. :) I hope you like this, doll. :3

**written for:** If You Dare, Weasley Family Bootcamp, Hugs & Happiness - Milly.

* * *

...

It's a wand, a shout, a scream, a fall.

It's the pieces flying apart, the threads that they've knitted, so very carefully, unraveling at the seams.

It's bright eyes losing light, it's blood running cold, it's worlds crumbling to dust from the outside in.

They win the war.

But they lose everything else.

Sometimes, they wonder if it was worth it. Maybe the price was too high.

Maybe it still is.

...

They all mourn for a different person; but yet, they all mourn for the same soul.

Ron grieves for his best friend. His brother. He grieves for the person that Harry Potter is - he grieves for the jokes, the teasing, and the adventures.

He doesn't say a word, most days, because there are no words to express this kind of pain.

Hermione, on the other hand, is never quiet. Her sobs are always there. Her wails are always piercing the night, like the sun pierces the sky.

She cries for the family she's lost in just one dead body. She cries for the hope that's left her as quickly as his spirit did.

She cries for everything - she cries for nothing.

Because her calls go unanswered.

They always go unanswered.

...

Molly and Arthur grieve for their (adopted) son.

Molly grieves for the boy that needed fattening, the boy that gave her other son a purpose, the boy that loved her only daughter. The boy that loved treacle tart more than anything else she cooked for him.

Arthur grieves because this is his child, and there is no pain greater than losing a child.

...

The Weasley brothers have experience with loss at this point, but it still hurts. It still hits.

Bill, with the comfort of Fleur, is able to accept it. He's distraught - they both are - but he can't pretend he knew Harry Potter well. Bill grieves for the loss of that chance; the chance to welcome another brother.

Charlie is able to accept it with a bottle of Firewhiskey. Missing Fred is already suffocating him. He cries, and it affects him, it does - but at the end of the day, he tells himself, we're all going to die, anyway.

Percy, recently back with the family, is reminded of how Harry always outshone him. How Harry made him jealous - made him want to take back his rightful spot in the Weasley lineup - but now, watching the body lowered into the ground, he's not jealous.

He's grieving. For the boy that he never gave a chance until it was late.

George is not well. His twin is gone; and now, he's going to lose his third-closest brother? One of his best friends? His hero?

George is fucking mad at the world.

...

Neville, Luna, Seamus, Lavender, Padma, Parvati, Ernie, Hannah.

Just faces. Just friends. Just fighters.

They fought for _him_. And they still do, to this day.

As much as they try to move on, though, none of them can replace Harry.

Not even his ghost.

...

Ginny cries for the boy that she loved. She cries for his eyes and she yearns for his heart and she yells for his hand.

And she wants for his touch. She needs for his voice.

She doesn't wish for his love, however, because it's still there - she can feel it.

If only she could see it.

Then, maybe their story would've had a happy ending.

...

Eighty years later, flashbacks are few and far between.

Molly and Arthur have long since left. Bill, Fleur, Percy, Angelina, George, and Hermione, as well.

Ginny, Ron, Charlie, and Audrey are all that is left. Charlie is in Romania, Audrey is as secluded and shy as she always was, which leaves Ron and Ginny to spend time together.

The kids rarely visit. They have the world in their hands; neither can blame the children (now adults) for neglecting seeing their parents, and grandparents.

Ginny can't remember the last time she's seen Rose - who'd always been her favorite, or Emily, Victoire and Teddy's daughter.

...

Ginny does not like spending time with Ron. He is constantly sad over Hermione's passing. Ginny is sad, too, she understands this - but it annoys her to no end when Ron claims "we didn't have enough time."

Ron is lucky. Ron had time.

She had none. She has nothing.

Ginny only wants to go back in time - but alas, eighty years later, flashbacks are few and far between.

...

She dies last.

Ginny has always been the stubborn one. She can hear him pleading her, begging her, whispering sweet nothings in her ear.

But after what he did to her, she's not going to rush to give him what he wants.

(This doesn't mean that, after only seeing his _eyes_ again, she doesn't melt in his embrace.)

...

* * *

**a/n:** please don't favorite/alert without reviewing, thanks!


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